Auto Alliance, Seat Belt Survey, & Slick Leaf

8.04.2017

A new assembly plant will be built in the U.S., and Toyota and Mazda are footing the bill. The two companies have signed a new agreement after years of negotiations. Part of the deal involves building a $1.6-billion-dollar plant. Toyota Corollas and new Mazda cross-overs will roll off the assembly lines beginning in 2021. Toyota says they’ll employ 4,000 people. No word yet on the location of the new plant.

A new study says most of us don’t use seat belts when we sit in the back seat. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found 4 out of 5 people surveyed do not use the rear seat belt for short trips or traveling by taxi or ride-hailing service. The reason: many rear-seat passengers perceive the back seat to be safer than the front. IIHS senior research engineer Jessica Jermakian says, "For most adults, it's still as safe to ride in the back seat as the front seat, but not if you aren't buckled up". Twenty-nine states and D.C. require all rear-seat passengers to buckle-up.

Here’s a glimpse at the next generation Nissan Leaf. The company says the design of the electric car was inspired by airplane wings, making it more aerodynamic so drivers get more miles on a single charge. The new Leaf is also lower to the ground to enhance stability.